Every time I got out camping I am amazed by the southern night sky. In the southern hemisphere we are greeted by the image of the Giant Emu in our night sky. This is a direct view of the inner core of our Milky Way galaxy (unseen in most of the northern hemisphere skies due to the Earth’s tilt).
However in many cities we are unable to see the stars we once grew up with. What's the point of having the most beautiful harbour in the world if you cant see a single star?
Living in light polluted cities also has other consequences, from disturbing our natural circadian rhythm to endangering conservation efforts of critically endangered fauna. As most of Australia’s fauna are nocturnal, we place a huge ecological burden on their rights to use the landscape.
To get back our night sky we need to move away from bright luminous light to a much more darker and controlled light environment.
Having a dark sky also has other benefits, from a safety point of view bright lighting hides shadows. From an evolutionary perspective as a species we have come to rely on shadows for safety and well being. As shown in the picture below brighter lights do equal safer cities.
What if we used synthetic biology to play a role, by using bioluminescence to reduce light pollution. As this photo (taken by my friend in Tasmania) clearly demonstrates we can use natural systems and modify them to meet our safety and night economy needs.
